Album Review

Buster Shuffle – Our Night Out

• 23rd Oct 2009

The wonderful thing about Cockneys, is Cockneys is wonderful things. Maybe this explains our national obsession with all things Eastenders, pie and mash and clothing decorated with a surfeit of pearly buttons.

It’s with this in mind we welcome Buster Shuffle, a product of semi-mythical ‘the Krays used to drink here’ boozers and lashings of jellied eel. Squarely in the middle ground between Madness and Chas ‘n’ Dave, the boys – Jethro Baker (piano and lead vocals), Terry Mascall (drums), Tim Connell (double bass) and Danny Piper (guitar) – sound like they’re having a right old time. Their let’s -have-a-knees-up ska-pop is rough, ready and infectious, and will have have you bending your knees and exclaiming ‘Oi!’ in no time.

‘Our Night Out’ was mostly recorded in Jethro’s bedroom and showcases a knack for simple, catchy tunes about boozing, having a crappy job and fighting with your bird. Standout tracks include At The Bank, I’ll Get My Coat and debut single Me Myself And I, which show an extra dimension to the ‘roll out the barrel’ piano larks one expects from a band who cut their teeth gigging in Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club.

Buster Shuffle are lining themselves up for big things – their fans include Damon Albarn and Pixies frontman Frank Black – which is all the more heartening as they’ve done it without the support of any major label.

Most of the songs are wisely kept below three minutes long, and whilst ‘Our Night Out’ may not be as polished as anything by Madness, this only adds to the charm of this solid, feel-good debut. Expect to hear the boys on a radio or a film soundtrack near you soon.